S'mores Cupcakes, part deux

Yes, obviously I've already made s'more cupcakes - but even then, I wasn't very happy with them. At the time, one of my dearest friends, whose opinion I value so highly, didn't think they were quite up to snuff either, although he'd never have said so. You know how you can just tell, sometimes? He did, however, heartily approve of my torching them on top.

This version comes much closer to the mark - they really are like the best parts of a s'more all put together (although my sister is now touting the benefits of Nutella in a s'more, so who knows, there may be a part trois coming up before summer's end) - the crunchy graham bottom, the graham cake, the fudgey middle, and the roasted marshmallow on top. Eagle-eyed readers (and my sainted mother, who misses nothing) will notice that these are made up of bits and pieces of cupcakes that I've posted before. Well, that's cooking, isn't it? Taking something you know and expanding on it and playing with it until it evolves into something new.

These were fun to share, and fun to make - and I got to use up the last of my graham cracker crumbs and whip up some more wonderful hot fudge sauce a la David Leibowitz (did you get The Perfect Scoop yet? What are you waiting for???) - and it's a little bit of summertime in a foil wrapper.

This makes about 18 cupcakes.

~ Graham Cupcakes ~
For graham bottom:
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup melted butter, salted
1/4 cup sugar
For cupcakes:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup whole milk
1 cup flour
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 18 standard-sized muffin cups with baking liners (or grease well).

In a small bowl, combine the 1 cup graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, and 1/4 cup sugar, mixing until crumbly. Press a small amount into the bottom of each muffin cup, dividing the total evenly, and press down with your fingers to form a smooth(ish) bottom layer. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes and let cool before filling with cupcake batter.


Cupcakes now:
Beat the butter for about 30 seconds until well creamed. Add the sugars and mix with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add in vanilla and mix again.
Combine the flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking soda and powder, and salt into a small bowl. Add in about half of the dry mixture into the butter mixture and stir until combined. Add in the milk and mix well. Finish with the rest of the flour mixture and mix just until combined. 
Scoop the batter into the muffin cups (the ones you already have the graham cracker crust baked into, remember?) and bake at 350 for about 15 - 18 minutes or until a tester inserted comes out clean. Let cool in the muffin tins for 2 minutes or so, then remove from pans and cool completely on a wire rack.
 
 ~ Hot Fudge Sauce (from David Leibowitz's The Perfect Scoop) ~

• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 tablespoon butter

Mix together the cream, brown sugar, cocoa, corn syrup, and salt in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir constantly for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and add in the chocolate and butter, stirring until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Add in vanilla and serve. This will make more than you need for the cupcakes - store any leftover in the refrigerator and serve warm over ice cream. Let the sauce cool completely before using to fill the cupcakes.

To assemble:
After cupcakes have cooled, cut a cone-shaped piece out of the middle of each one, trimming the bottom of the cut bit so it forms a lid. Using teaspoon, scoop in a bit of fudge sauce into the cupcake's cavity, then top with the lid. Repeat with the remaining cupcakes. Chill before frosting.

~ Marshmallow Frosting ~
8 large egg whites, room temperature
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the frosting, combine the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in the top of a double boiler, or set your (immaculate) mixing bowl over a pan of simmering water. Heat the mixture, whisking frequently, until it reaches 160° F with an instant-read thermometer.  Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Whisk starting at low speed and gradually increasing to medium-high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form.  Mix in the vanilla until combined. 

Use a large star tip to frost the cupcakes however you like. Now the fun part - carefully using a kitchen torch, heat the top of each cupcake until just toasty, like a roasted marshmallow.

Keep the cupcakes in the refrigerator until serving, of course, but let them come to room temperature before you eat them, if you can. They're also good cold.

The one complaint I heard about these was that they were messy. Well, yes. So is summertime.